In the production of profiled pieces such as, for example, clutch disk-carriers, toothed-belt disks or similar workpieces having a basic cylindrical structure, high levels of accuracy and precision are frequently required. In particular, the accuracy and the surface quality are important.
The workpieces described are high-grade production parts which in some cases are produced in large quantities. Thus, in the case of a production installation for such workpieces, the costs and the output are also important criteria, in addition to the qualitative characteristics.
DE 20 17 709 A1 describes a method suitable for the production of the workpieces described above. A special rolling tool enables the workpiece to be produced from a raw piece having a smooth outer contour by means of a press, each press stroke forming a workpiece out of a raw piece. Upon each press stroke there is executed a rolling operation in which the profiling rollers impress the desired outer profile into the circumferential surface of the workpiece. The profiling rollers in this case are arranged in a lower die along the circumference of the workpiece to be worked. When the workpiece is pressed between the rollers by means of an upper die attached to the press ram, these rollers are supported on support rollers having corresponding mounting.
The lower die can be of a rotationally symmetrical structure, the individual profiling rollers that produce the profile of the workpiece being distributed regularly and at a uniform angle in relation to one another along the circumference of the workpiece. Consequently, and owing to the resultant rotationally symmetrical apportioning of forces during a forming operation, the individual grooves produced by the respective profiling rollers are practically like one another. In particular, an offset-free contour is achieved.
The disadvantage of the method is that a raw piece that has been preformed to be close to contour has to be readily available before the rolling procedure. This means that the raw piece must be produced in a separate forming procedure, for example a drawing procedure. A further disadvantage in the embodiment described above is in the structural design of the profiling roller support by means of the support rollers. Although this embodiment renders a profiling roller diameter of reduced size, it is structurally very complex and cost-intensive because of the arrangement of the support rollers. In addition, the tool has a large overall height as a result.